Folding chair



Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED STATES P TEN F MATTHEW F. BAYER, 0F KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO SIMIVIONS COMPANY, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, A COBPQRATIQN OF DELAWARE.

FOLDING CHAIR.

Application filed May 6, 1921. Serial No. 467,384.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW F. BAYER, residing at Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference more particularly to a folding chair of the type in which the chair back and seat and leg support fold together so as to form a flat compact struc ture.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide an improved folding chair; to operatively connect the seat and a leg support, so that they fold and unfold simultaneously; to construct and mount the chair seat and back so that they fold'more compactly than in chairs heretofore constructed; and in general, to simplify and reduce the cost of the chair and provide a better construction and more satisfactory folding chair than heretofore provided.

On the drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of the chair unfolded and ready for use;

Fig. 2, a side view of the chair when folded; and

Fig. 3, a view looking at the left of the structure in Fig. 2, with portions of the seat broken away to disclose details of construction.

On the drawings the reference numeral 1 indicates a pair of spaced legs or side supports which are extended upwardly to serve as back posts, and have their upper ends connected together by a strip 2. A c'hair back 3, of any suitable type, has a pair of hangers 4: secured to the upper end thereof, and the upper ends of these hangers are bent forwardly and pivoted at 18 to the respective side member 1 near the upper end thereof, and somewhat in front of the center line of said strip, as indicated clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. The seat 5 is pivoted to the lower end of the back 3, being provided at each side with a bracket or bar 6, which is fixed to the seat 5 and has the end curved as shown in Fig. 1 and pivoted to the lower end of the back 3, as at 7. The extreme outer end of each bracket or bar 6 is bent outwardly to form an ear 8, which serves as a stop to engage the edge of the adjacent support 1, when the chair is folded. A rung 9 extends between and has the ends secured opposite ends are connected by rungs 11 and 12. The rung 9 has reduced extremities to engage the openings provided therefor in the leg members 10, and afford shoulders for holding the leg frame properly spaced from the side supports 1.

There is a link 13 at each side of the chair, and each has one end pivoted at 14 to the corresponding leg member 10, and the other end pivoted to. the seat 5 adjacent the rear end of the latter, preferably to the bracket 6, as indicated at 15.; This link 13 has a longitudinal slot 16 extending from a point near the lower end substantially to the center of the link and this slot is engaged by a pin 17 on the adjacent support 1. The upper end of this slot serves to limit the forward swinging movement of the leg supports 10 when the chair is unfolded and the pivotal connection of the link 13 with the pin 17 serves, when unfolding the chair, to swing the seat 5 and back 3 rearwardly on the pivots 18 and causes the seat and back to assume the proper position. When the chair is unfolded, the seat rests upon the upper ends of the supports 10, which being inclined forwardly are maintained by the weight of the occupant, against accidental folding. The connection of the seat with the leg supports 1O by means of the links 13, causes the seat and leg support to fold or unfold simultaneously, each link 13 during the latter portion of the folding movement functioning as a lever fulcrumed on pin 17.

When the chair is folded the parts are locked against displacement so long as the seat remains folded against the back 3, as the link 13 in such position is drawn up tight and cooperates with pin 17 to prevent improper movement of the leg supports 10. Moreover, the curved, brackets 4 and 6 and the connection of the former with the supports 1, permits the sections 3 and 5 to be folded in close contact as indicated in Fig. 2, and these sections when folded are contained almost entirely within the width of the supports 1, thus affording a very close compact structure, which may be readily packed or stored away.

While I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, I am aware that various changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the principles of my invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

I claim as-my invention:

1. In a folding chair, the combination of a main frame comprising a pair of spaced uprights, a .leg frame pivoted to the main frame, a chair back pivoted between the upper ends of the uprights and having a chair bottom pivoted to the lower end there- 013 link having the opposite ends pivoted respectively to the chair bottom and the'leg frame, and a part on said main frame slid & ably engaging an intermediate portion of said link While permitting pivotal movement of said link on said frame.

2. In a folding chair, the combination of a main frame comprising a pair of spaced uprights, a leg frame pivoted to the main frame, a chair back "pivoted between the upper ends of the uprights and having a chair bottom pivoted to the lower end thereof,,and a link having the opposite ends piv oted respectively to, the chair bottom and the leg frame, and having a slot intermediate of the ends engaging a projection on the main frame.

MATTHEW F.BAYER.. 

